Dry edible field beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) such as pintos, great northerns, navies, kidneys, blacks, pinks, etc., contain no cholesterol and very little fat. In combination with other foods, they serve as a complete source of protein. In fact, one cup of cooked dry field beans contains approximately 35% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance of protein.
Beans are also an important source of natural (dietary) fiber, which is a necessary part of the human diet. Dietary fiber is the undigestible part of the foods we eat. Beans possess more dietary fiber per serving than any other unprocessed food. For example, one-half cup of cooked beans contributes up to 6.78 grams of dietary fiber. Other foods high in dietary fiber include other legumes, bran, whole grain breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables.
There are two types of dietary fiber, insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber acts in the intestine to increase bulk and relieve constipation. Soluble fiber helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. This means better control for people with diabetes or high blood cholesterol. One study found that by including beans in the daily diet, that blood cholesterol levels were reduced by 10 to 20%. Colorado Dry Bean Advisory Board, Bean Recipes and Nutrition Facts, Colorado Department of Agriculture (1988).
Beans are also a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and other trace minerals. They are also a rich natural source of B-complex vitamins.
As demonstrated above, field beans are an important and valuable field crop. Thus, a continuing goal of plant breeders is to discover and develop stable, high yielding bean cultivars that are agronomically sound. To accomplish this goal, the bean breeder must discover, select and develop bean plants that have the traits that result in superior cultivars.